Patio Style Heating Up with Outdoor Heaters!

With cooler weather on its way and more people spending time at home, outdoor heating products are a great way to improve outdoor spaces and make them stylish and functional year-round! While outdoor living trends have been warming up ever since the Great Recession, they received an ever greater boost during the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of social distancing restrictions and with the knowledge that the virus was more transmissible in indoor spaces, consumers and businesses alike placed greater emphasis on gathering outdoors.

One of these solutions has been creating outdoor spaces that can be used year-round, even in cold weather. Many restaurants and even outdoor shopping malls have installed industrial grade outdoor heaters to maximize their space and allow for more distance between patrons. Consumers have taken similar steps by adding consumer grade outdoor heating equipment to make their patios and backyards functional in sun or snow!

“Fire pits are most common outdoor heating product to consumer markets, and these tend to be relatively inexpensive. Going forward, the increasing desire to make outdoor living a year-round experience, especially in colder parts of the country, will continue to support consumer sales of all heating products.

However, outdoor heating products will continue to see competition from site-built fire pits, as well as outdoor furniture with heating elements, such as fire tables. Additionally, concerns about the environmental impact of outdoor heating products and long product lifespans will hinder growth.”

Function Meets Style

When it comes to patios and outdoor recreation spaces, consumers can display just as much style outdoors as you do indoors. From industrial to modern, colorful, or neutral, there are outdoor heating options that will fit any style. There are many factors to consider when choosing the right outdoor heating product, including safety, functionality, and style:

• Safety: Heat sources range from open flames (fire pits) to electricity (radiant heaters), and can be either exposed or covered to provide protection from burns. Commercial properties and families with young children or pets are more likely to choose options that prevent accidental contact with direct heat.
• Functionality: Outdoor heating and backyard recreation go hand in hand. Chimeneas and some types of fire pits allow for cooking as well as warmth and ambiance. These options is more suited for private spaces than commercial due to safety liabilities.
• Style: From sleek, modern, electric or propane fire pits with fire glass, to rustic chimeneas, to low profile radiant heaters, companies are creating more options in outdoor heating equipment to make any space stylish.

Considerations for Choosing a Heater

With so many options available to consumers, there are many factors that influence their choices. Here are a few things that are considered when shopping for an outdoor heater:

• Propane vs Electric Heating
• Flame vs Radiant Heat
• BTU (British Thermal Units) Required for Your Space
• Local Fire Safety Codes
• Operation Cost

Options for Anyone

Whether someone is a DIY pro, or looking to have an outdoor space renovated professionally, there are plenty of cost effective and energy efficient outdoor heating options. With families across the country facing financial struggle, it is important that companies ensure that outdoor heating solutions are available at a reasonable cost to purchase, install, and use, while still meeting functionality and stylistic standards.

Thanks to the growing demand for outdoor heating, there are plenty of options to choose from. Whatever the budget, space size, or lifestyle, anyone can turn their summer patio into a cozy fall hangout spot!

To find more information about the outdoor heating industry, check out Outdoor Heating: Fire Pits, Fireplaces, Chimeneas, & Radiant Heaters, a new report from The Freedonia Group.

About the Author: Bethan Davis is with MarketResearch.com, where she writes, edits, and provides production assistance for The Freedonia Group and other brands.